Muradnagar Upazila
Muradnagar Upazila (comilla district) area 340.73 sq km, located in between 23°30' and 23°48' north latitudes and in between 90°52' and 91°04' east longitudes. It is bounded by nabinagar upazila on the north, chandina and debidwar upazilas on the south, Debidwar, brahmanpara and kasba upazilas on the east, daudkandi, homna and banchharampur upazilas on the west.
Population Total 523556; male 247591, female 275965; Muslim 485689, Hindu 37783, Buddhist 19, Christian 14 and others 51.
Water bodies Main rivers: gumti, Buri; Curzon Canal is notable.
Administration Muradnagar Thana was formed in 1858 and it was turned into an upazila in 1983.
| Upazila | ||||||||
| Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | ||
| Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | |||||
| - | 22 | 154 | 305 | 32644 | 490912 | 1537 | 52.8 | 48.5 |
| Upazila Town | ||||||||
|
Area (sq km) |
Mouza |
Population |
Density (per sq km) |
Literacy rate (%) | ||||
| 13.41 | 4 | 32644 | 2434 | 52.8 | ||||
| Union | ||||
| Name of union and GO code | Area (acre) | Population | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Male | Female | |||
| Akubpur 10 | 6316 | 15926 | 18729 | 57.8 |
| Andikot 11 | 5835 | 14011 | 16057 | 49.6 |
| Kanalla 49 | 3385 | 8680 | 10113 | 40.3 |
| Chapitala 22 | 2795 | 7139 | 8031 | 53.5 |
| Chhaliakandi 31 | 2885 | 7930 | 8923 | 41.1 |
| Jahapur 40 | 4353 | 15226 | 15770 | 45.7 |
| Tanki 91 | 2487 | 8261 | 9685 | 45.8 |
| Darora 27 | 2922 | 8005 | 9365 | 45.8 |
| Dhamghar 36 | 5911 | 17459 | 19774 | 60.9 |
| Paschim Nabipur 63 | 2175 | 14065 | 14261 | 52.8 |
| Purba Nabipur 58 | 3428 | 15354 | 15542 | 53.5 |
| Paharpur 67 | 3649 | 9327 | 10681 | 43.3 |
| Paschim Purbadhair 81 | 2740 | 8155 | 9089 | 48.2 |
| Purba Purbadhair 76 | 3174 | 7409 | 8323 | 46.4 |
| Paschim Bangara 18 | 4408 | 9276 | 10453 | 57.2 |
| Purba Bangara 13 | 2752 | 8148 | 9358 | 58.0 |
| Babuti Para 72 | 3452 | 10742 | 12188 | 47.7 |
| Muradnagar 54 | 4920 | 17840 | 20001 | 47.1 |
| Jatrapur 45 | 3565 | 9855 | 11331 | 44.3 |
| Uttar Ramchandrapur 85 | 2495 | 9791 | 9927 | 42.9 |
| Dakshin Ramchandrapur 90 | 2985 | 8106 | 9194 | 31.3 |
| Sreekail 94 | 7635 | 16886 | 19170 | 43.3 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
Archaeological heritage and relics Single domed Paharpur Mosque, Sheikh Lal Mosque (Purbadhair), Pir Kasimpur Mosque, Sculpture of Berdeshari (Muradnagar).
Historical events During the reign of Mughal Empire, Muradnagar was under Balda Khal Pargana. The people of this upazila took part in peasant and anti British movements.
War of Liberation A few direct encounters between the freedom fighters and the Pak army were held during the war of liberation in different places of the upazila in which a number of freedom fighters were killed. Two significant encounters that took place between the freedom fighters and the Pak army in the upazila were at Pantibazar and Chapitala. 29 Pakistani soldiers and 5 razakars were killed in the encounter at Pantibazar.
For details: see মুরাদনগর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৮।
Religious institutions Mosque 280, temple 46, tomb 8, sacred place 1. Noted religious institutions: Bhutail Sarkarbari Mosque, Sonakandha Pirbari Mosque, Kasimpur Pirbari Mosque, Muradnagar Mosque, Nabipur Mandir, Sreekail Kalibari, Ramchandrapur Kalibari.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 48.8%; male 50.0%, female 47.8%. Educational institutions: college 22, secondary school 50, primary school 192, community school 29, madrasa 43. Noted educational institutions: Jahapur KK Academy and College (1914), Sreekail College (1942), DR Government High School (1864), Bangara High School (1887), Gomta Isakia High School, (1910), Ramchandrapur High School (1918).
Newspapers and periodicals Monthly: Bihanga, Muradnagar.
Cultural organisations Library 1, club 40, press club 2, cinema hall 5, playground 32.
Main sources of income Agriculture 50.24%, non-agricultural labourer 2.55%, industry 1.34%, commerce 16.25%, transport and communication 2.72%, service 8.47%, construction 1.09%, religious service 0.42%, rent and remittance 4.80% and others 12.12%.
Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 66.44%, landless 33.56%; agricultural landowner: urban 58.70% and rural 66.88%.'
Main crops Paddy, wheat, masur, kalai, mustard, sesame, linseed.
Extinct or nearly extinct crops Jute.
Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, blackberry, banana.
Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 1, dairy 2, nursery 14.
Communication facilities Roads: pucca 429 km, semi-pucca 15 km, mud road 240 km; waterway 35 km.
Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin.
Noted manufactories Rice mill, ice factory, bidi factory, welding factory.
Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, embroidery, weaving, bamboo work, cane work.
Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 80, most noted of which are Ramchandrapur Hat, Companiganj Hat, Hatkhola and Piparia Hat.
Main exports Rice, mustard.
Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 58.9% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.
Sources of drinking water Tube-well 94.7%, tap 0.8% and others 4.5%. The presence of arsenic has been detected in the shallow tube-well water of the upazila.
Sanitation 73.5% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 23.2% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 3.3% of households do not have latrine facilities.
Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 17, satellite clinic 7, clinic 42.
NGO activities Operationally important NGOs is brac. [Golam Kibria Bhuiyan]
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Muradnagar Upazila 2007.
